Mobile stations receive wireless service from one or more wireless networks. The wireless networks in one example comprise a plurality of base stations. The base stations communicate with the mobile stations to provide the wireless service. To provide wireless service to a mobile station, a base station sends and/or receives signals to and/or from the mobile station. Where the mobile station travels to an area of weak wireless coverage, for example, a location in which the base station is unable to send/receive signals to/from the mobile station, the mobile station fails to receive wireless service from the base station. For example, where a user of a mobile station enters a building, the mobile station fails to receive wireless service within the building.
In known wireless service solutions, a microcell is employed within the area of weak wireless coverage to provide wireless service to mobile stations within the area. A microcell employs a mode of communication to provide wireless service to mobile stations within the area. The mode of communication in one example comprises a wireless protocol (e.g., Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”), Time Division Multiple Access (“TDMA”), Global System for Mobile Communications (“GSM”), analog, and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (“UMTS”)) and a radio frequency (“RF”) (e.g., 850 MHz, 1.8 GHz, 1.9 GHZ, and 2 GHz). A microcell provides wireless service only to mobile stations that employ the mode of communication of the microcell, for example a wireless protocol and a radio frequency. As one shortcoming, to increase the likelihood that a mobile station will receive wireless service within an area, multiple microcells need to be installed within the area to support the multiple wireless protocols and the multiple radio frequencies employed by the mobile stations. Significant cost is associated with each installation of a microcell within an area. It is desirable to provide wireless service to a maximum number of mobile stations within an area through employment of a minimum number of microcells.
Thus, a need exists for reducing a cost for providing wireless service to mobile stations within an area.